Early 18k Connie?

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ewand

·Mar 5, 2019

I know very little about Constellations and even after sniffing around online (and on Desmond's blog) I'm not quite sure what I'm looking at here - I saw it on an auction site (with slightly different photos - we don't want to make it too easy) though bidding is already more than I would be prepared to pay, so I offer it here. It's described as 18ct solid gold (and a solid gold dial as well, unless the lighting is dodgy),

I imagine the caseback is worn [edit - or heavily polished 😉] (should it say CONSTELLATION and WATERPROOF)? And I'm a little thrown by the combo of that dial, that case and that crown. What is it, and do you like it?

Currently bidding at £700 + hefty fees and I'd expect it'll top £1000, but that's probably not far off the scrap value of the gold...

Edited: Mar 6, 2019

 

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hoipolloi

·Mar 5, 2019

I would bet nothing on it until I see the inside of that case back.

 

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Edward53

·Mar 5, 2019

I would like it a lot more if it wasn't so heavily polished. Looks good otherwise.

 

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aprax

·Mar 5, 2019

I noticed that one too and I discounted it because of the overpolished caseback. It should be a de luxe 14394 with a 561 inside, like the one pictured in the german brochure from 1960 below. (The photo comes from the seller of the real watch in the picture which I bought on ebay, that one is a 2954 with a cal. 504).

 

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Peemacgee

·Mar 5, 2019·Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers

Mine is on the opposite page. 😀

 

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77deluxe

·Mar 5, 2019

That case really has seen better days.

 

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Noddyman

·Mar 6, 2019

aprax

It should be a de luxe 14394 with a 561 inside,

14394 doesn’t have a press fit case back.

 

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ewand

·Mar 6, 2019

Thanks guys - It looks like a 14382 except it has a calendar... as per the catalog photo above and from @cristos71's info on
https://omegaforums.net/threads/vintage-omega-constellation.65394/
and Desmond's article on https://www.mediafire.com/?rdw8okwuax0d9l7.

And since it has a push on case back and no "OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED" on the dial, it seems unusual...

If it was cheap, I would snap it up because I really like the dial - but as mentioned above, the case has seen better days. Then again, who looks at the back of a watch case while you're wearing it...

If anyone wants to keep check on how it's doing, it's on Invaluable (sitting at £500 at time of writing) and if you want to pay another 5.6% in fees, you could try getting it via The Saleroom (currently bidding at £700)

Edited: Mar 6, 2019

 

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Peemacgee

·Mar 6, 2019·Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers

hoipolloi

I would bet nothing on it until I see the inside of that case back.

Noddyman

14394 doesn’t have a press fit case back.

It’s either a heavily polished 14394 (date version) with the wrong case back and crown or an earlier version.

 

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aprax

·Mar 6, 2019

Noddyman

14394 doesn’t have a press fit case back.

Correct, my bad. The 14381/2 have screw-in case backs too, I believe. But seeing that it is a "words missing" dial, it couldn't be much earlier than those, could it?

 

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Peemacgee

·Mar 6, 2019·Purrrr-veyor of luxury cat box loungers

aprax

Correct, my bad. The 14381/2 have screw-in case backs too, I believe. But seeing that it is a "words missing" dial, it couldn't be much earlier than those, could it?

Uncommonly some ‘end of decade’ references other than those also had the missing text dials

 

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padders

·Mar 6, 2019·Oooo subtitles!

Here’s my 14381-9 gold cap. It has some style similarities with the original but as noted this is a screw on back and of course has a pp dial. I would guess the original watch is of this 59-61 era too though so not as early as all that.

Edited: Mar 6, 2019

 

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ewand

·Mar 6, 2019

the OP watch has hammered at £1100 to someone in the room, so a little over £1400 in hand.

 

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Noddyman

·Mar 6, 2019

ewand

the OP watch has hammered at £1100 to someone in the room, so a little over £1400 in hand.

Ouch, I hope the buyers know more than we do and it doesn’t turn out to be a mongrel.